Most brands rely on celebrities as talking heads, but Telstra wanted to take a different approach. To communicate the power of memorable Phonewords, we turned to Australian icon Sam Kekovich to not just deliver the message, but to hypnotize it into the minds of business owners, showcasing that a Phoneword like 1300 IGUANA can be more memorable than a simple number.

Making Words More Memorable than Numbers

The challenge was to convey a simple truth: words are far easier to remember than numbers. Telstra Phonewords needed to show Australian business owners the impact of using Phonewords, helping them understand how they could better engage their customers by replacing hard-to-remember phone numbers with simple, memorable words. Our goal was to use this insight in an engaging way that would break through the noise of standard advertising.

A Trance-Inducing Message with Sam Kekovich

To bring this idea to life, we enlisted the help of Aussie icon Sam Kekovich, known for his blunt and humorous style. Rather than just having him explain the concept, we took a creative twist—turning his delivery into a hypnotic performance. Using the idea that even half a second is enough to remember a word, we had Sam Kekovich send viewers into an "iguana-fueled trance," repeatedly reinforcing the power of Phonewords like 1300 IGUANA. The campaign played on humor and simplicity, making the point clear: Phonewords are hypnotically memorable.

A Simple Truth, Delivered with Impact

The campaign succeeded in standing out by combining humor, star power, and a memorable, almost hypnotic delivery. Sam Kekovich’s unique persona brought the message to life in an entertaining way, helping business owners understand the clear value of Telstra Phonewords. By focusing on the core truth—words are more memorable than numbers—we created an ad that was both fun and informative, ensuring that viewers would never forget the impact of a Phoneword.